Nationals vote down motion to ban the burka at annual conference
By
Tom Lowrey
Updated 57 minutes ago
PHOTO: Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce spoke against the motion at the Nationals' national party conference. (ABC News: Lucy Barbour)
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MAP: Australia
The Nationals have voted against adopting a burka ban as policy at their annual conference in Canberra, but Nationals MP George Christensen says he will keep pushing for the ban to become policy.
Mr Christensen's motion was voted down at the party's national conference 51 votes to 55.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Deputy Nationals Leader Fiona Nash both spoke against the motion.
But Mr Christensen, who has been calling to
ban the burka in public for several years, said he would continue to advocate for the policy.
"Sadly, my push to ban facial coverings in public places where it assist with security and safety just fell short of being passed as policy of the Nationals," he said in a statement shortly after the vote.
"As my local electorate and the LNP's Dawson branch strongly support a ban on facial coverings, I will continue to push for this to be government policy."
Mr Joyce said banning the burka could damage Australia's trade relations with Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
"George is a good mate but we don't necessarily agree on every issue. I do a lot of business into Indonesia, I do a lot of business into Saudi Arabia, and I want to make sure we continue to do that," he said.
"They don't insult me and I'm going to make sure that I don't insult them."
The Federal Government has made it clear it will not be banning the burka.
Attorney-General George Brandis received bipartisan applause in Parliament last monthwhen he rebuked One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's call for a similar ban.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-10/nationals-vote-against-adopting-burka-ban/8889768
